Hundreds of US companies make false data protection claims

Hundreds of US-based companies handling EU citizens' data have lied about belonging to a data protection arrangement known as the Safe Harbour Framework.

The Safe Harbour agreement, hammered out in 2000 between the European Commission and the US Department of Commerce, is supposed to ensure that firms follow EU data protection laws when processing the personal data of EU citizens.

Viviene Reding, for her part, said on the 7 October 2013 that "an overwhelming majority" of EU justice ministers gave her "a very strong political endorsement" on a separate EU data privacy bill, which might be release in December 2013.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Speech: Data protection reform: restoring trust and building the digital single market http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-data-protection-reform-restoring-trust-and-building-the-digital-single-market/

ESO: Background information: Data protection: Council supports 'one-stop-shop' principle http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-data-protection-council-supports-one-stop-shop-principle/

ESO: Background information: Memo: Informal Justice Council in Vilnius http://www.europeansources.info/record/memo-informal-justice-council-in-vilnius/

Deutsche Welle, 07.10.13: 'Snowden's revelations had very little impact' http://dw.de/p/19vlj

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